Journey to the East?
by royal rubes
Summary: An AU crackfic? Who woulda thunk? I think that title is self-explanatory (except that it's probably not), so let's get right to it! Beware of stupid shenanigans. And yes, I am writing this as I go.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: All I know about this is that it was funny when I first thought it up. I'll leave it to you guys to judge me.

* * *

><p>On this particular bright and relaxing morning, Chief Prosecutor Miles Edgeworth has finally found time in his oh-so busy schedule for a day off. Here he is, seated in the comfort of his luxurious brand office chair - read, throne - and enjoying a refreshing cup of Darjeeling tea.<p>

Aaand all this peace and quiet is cut short when he receives a phone call. Puzzled, he fetches for the receiver and sets it to his ear.

"Chief Prosecutor's Office, Miles Edgeworth speaking."

It's a woman's voice that comes up. "Congratulations, Mr. Edgeworth! You've been selected for a special offer!"

A bubble of doubt has begun to form in his mind, but out of courtesy, he doesn't hang up just yet.

"Who is this, and what sort of offer are you talking about?"

"Oh, please! You don't need to know who we are. You just need to know how awesome this job we have for you!"

"No, I am certain that I need to know who you are. This line leads directly to my office and is not normally accessible to the occasional marketers. How did you get this number?"

"We have ways... but that's not important right now! What is, is-"

"Listen here. If I don't get any form of identification this instant, I will use everything in my power to locate the source of this call and have you arrested on the spot for misconduct and tampering of communication lines. Is that what you want?"

"Oh, don't be such a fuss, Edgey! Trust me, we're cool with the Prosecutor's Office, really. They let us in."

"...I swear to all that is holy that if this is actually Larry on the other side of the line, there will be hell on earth..."

"Oh, speaking of Harry, he just so happened to be available as your pilot!"

"My what? I never called for a pilot!"

"Well, you may not have yet, but we did it for you! You're gonna take a cruise across the Pacific Ocean to the motherland of video games: Japan!"

"As I was saying, I never scheduled a trip anywhere today. And above all, I will not board a flight that is piloted by Larry of all people! He doesn't even have a flying license!"

"We gave him one. Temporary, of course."

"No, no, no! Aircraft licenses are not simply 'given away'. One has to qualify for them first! This flight could prove hazardous to my health! And his, for that matter..."

"And that's why it's a specially built jetliner that already has its coordinates programmed in. Even if he tried his darnedest to mess up the flight plan, it won't go off course!"

"...Then why hire anyone as a pilot in the first place? No, better yet, you still haven't explained yourselves! Who are you, how did you get access to this number, and what insane plan are you trying to drag me into!?"

There's a sigh and a quiet murmur heard over the phone. Finally, someone else, seems to be a man, answers in the woman's place: "We are representatives of the Ace Attorney department at the video game company Capcom, Ltd., US branch. We own all rights to this franchise, including the property you stand on. That is all."

Edgeworth goes completely silent. It's not only because he's at a loss for words; it's also because some mysterious force has now clamped down on his vocal cords and is literally preventing him from arguing back.

There's another exchange of murmurs across the connection, and the previous caller has picked it up again. "Sorry about that. We had to make a few arrangements, it seems. So, do we have a deal or not?"

"..."

"...Hello? Wait, did someone forget to unlock the sound? ...Tch, dang interns."

After a bit of jostling about, someone did something, and that strange, inexplicable force that had clamped down on his throat vanishes without a trace. Poor Edgeworth almost suffocated, though. He's on the floor gasping for breath.

"Whoops, sorry about that again! You okay?"

He manages to climb back into his seat somehow. "...What manner of beings are you?"

"Welp, he seems to be doing fine now! Okay, so here's the heads-up, Mr. Edgeworth: This is a very important job that will mark a new milestone in the history of this franchise. Whenever you're ready, please stop by the Hope Springs Airport, International Flights. You will meet with an agent there who will escort you to the correct flight. From there, we want you to head to our HQ in Tokyo, Japan, retrieve a certain disk encoded with classified data on the latest game release, and return here in the States. And don't worry! Our agents at HQ will have everything prepared for your arrival, so there's not much else you need to do!"

"...May I ask something first?"

"Shoot."

"Why have I, personally, been selected for this job? If you people really are who you say you are, then why not just send one of your members? You have the resources and people..."

"Yeah, but then we thought over it again and decided that this would make an exciting adventure for you."

Edgeworth pounds on his desk in frustration. This is the most humiliating thing he's heard thus far, and that's saying something.

"Anyway, thanks again! We're counting on you!"

"W-wait. Don't I get any say in this matter...?"

"If you have any more questions, please ask them now."

"...So, no matter what I say now, you're still going to send me off on this, as you put it, 'adventure'?"

"Yep."

"Am I going alone or with a companion?"

"Well, you'll start your journey alone, but along the way, you may find people who will help you. Rest assured, no matter what dangers you may face, these three warriors will try their utmost to defend you to the end!"

"...This is an automated flight, correct? What dangers are you talking about?"

"Well, it wouldn't be an adventure if all you had to do was fly over to Japan and pick something up, would it?"

"..."

"So, good luck on your journey! And remember: no matter what happens, we will be watching over you from beyond the screen..."

"What 'screen'? You're making less and less sense..."

"Ta-tah!"

And with that, the phone clicks off. Edgeworth sits there, filled with both a tranquil rage and utter bewilderment. On one hand, it could all very well be a prank some department members decided to pull, but on the other hand... there was something that clamped down on his throat and nearly strangled him. Just what is going on here!?

In any case, it may prove dangerous to defy them. He takes a deep breath, having little choice in the matter anyway, and tidies up his desk before he takes his leave.

* * *

><p>AN: Yaaaay, I have no idea what's going to happen next! I'm winging it as I go! This is probably not a good combination, but eh, who cares at this point?

P.S. I've gone back to the first episode of The Spectral Chronologies, and I'm considering a rewrite of the current story. What do you guys think? At least I think it has room for improvement, especially by the end. Besides, I'm taking a completely different route this time! Look forward to it!


	2. Chapter 2

Miles Edgeworth finds himself in quite a predicament as he arrives at the airport this morning. The mysterious call he received this morning instructed him to come here, and that there would be someone who would explain the situation prior to boarding the most pointless flight he has ever taken.

Unfortunately for him, the agent that would take that role is someone he did not ever want to meet. Emphasis on "ever".

"Oh, Edgey-pooo! Over here, dearie! I've been waiting for so looong!"

He promptly turns around and heads back, muttering to himself. This is not what he agreed to, forced suffocation or not!

Sadly, as he steps out, the strange mysterious force has returned. It seems to grab him by the back of his collar, and despite his objections, drags him back away from the entrance (and freedom). Needless to say, the commotion he's making and the plain oddity of the situation has garnered a bit of attention from curious onlookers.

Wendy Oldbag is rather pleased to find him by her side once more, and she gives him the best impression of a shy young maiden that she can offer at that age. Understandably, Edgeworth is trying his utmost not to look directly at her.

"Aw, and to think that this day was going to be a horrible day! After those Capcom-wannabe pranksters told me to come here, I didn't think they were being serious! I just told them to shut their yaps and that they'd get a taste of the ol' counter-prank if they didn't stop harassing me and I was going to hang up like that, but they said my dear Edgey was going to be here, and even though I was sure they were just messing with me, but the temptation was too much so I came here anyway and waited and waited and waited for hours until I thought I'd give up and go home but then you finally showed up and I feel like all the suffering I went through was worth it! It's good to see you again, dear."

Edgeworth could barely make out whatever garble that was coming out of her mouth and decides it's best not to comment on it. However, there was something that he needed to confirm, and since it seems it's inevitable that he has to talk with her, he might as well go for it now.

"Ms. Oldbag, are you perchance the agent that I was informed to meet with prior to boarding my scheduled flight?"

"Why, yessiree, I am indeed. I'm here as your personal guide, bodyguard, and caretaker, all rolled up into one! It's just a temporary thing, though. Such a pity, really. If I had the chance to tell those folks at that company, I'd request to make the job permanent!"

The only relief Edgeworth has after hearing that is how impossible it would be to ever happen.

"Now, anything I may help you with before we head for the jet waiting outside, dearie?"

"...No, thank you. That will be all."

"Oh, no need to be so shy! Really, if there's anything at all, just tell ol' Grandma Wendy, and she'll tend to your every-"

"That will be all, Ms. Oldbag."

"...Oh, alright. I suppose I'll let you off... but only because it's you, Edgey-poo."

So, she leads him off to where the jetliner was supposedly resting. Curiously, she simply takes him outside the way he entered, and they stop outside the departure gates. Normally, the planes at the airport would be situated rather far from the buildings unless they are ready to be boarded... However, the jetliner in question is in fact hovering several hundred feet above in the sky.

"...And how exactly am I supposed to board the jet when it's already in the air!?"

"Who knows, maybe the pilot's supposed to drop down a rope ladder for you or something?"

"The 'pilot', indeed..."

He crosses his arms, making a frown, and taps his foot impatiently. There seems to be some sort of activity within the pilot's cabin, but it can't be heard over the roar of the jet engine. Finally, the pilot seems to have found what he was looking for, and the ladder drops down within arm's reach.

Edgeworth gives the ladder a small tug, testing it for its stability. However, as soon as he takes the first step onto the lowest rung, everything that could go wrong seems to have gone wrong. The ladder is pulled back up immediately, nearly causing the poor man to slip and fall, and he's forced to hang onto the rungs for dear life as the jet begins to pull up and swing around for a new direction.

The entire situation would be hilarious to see if it wasn't him at the center of it... or rather, it's absolutely hysterical because it's him.

Somehow, the ladder is pulled up segment by segment, and he manages to climb aboard. The door shuts behind him as he's gasping for breath.

"Whoa, that was a close one! Edgey, you okay, man?"

Edgeworth takes a stand and snarls into the other man's face. "What the HELL were you doing back there!?"

"Yikes! H-hey, I'm sorry, okay!? I'm still new to this whole 'pilot' business! I didn't know how the ladder was supposed to work! It's all automatic anyway!"

"Speaking of which, Larry... why are you back here and not in your seat?"

"Well, I saw you dangling down there for dear life, so I wanted to lend a hand! Isn't that what friends do!?"

"No, I mean, why are you here and not steering the plane?"

"Like I said, man, the whole thing's automatic. I don't even need to be at the wheel!"

"..."

It's definitely for the better that Larry is not at the wheel, lest he has to suffer through worse things than what just happened, but there's just something unsettling about there being NO ONE at the wheel. Still, the plane is stable enough on its own.

At that moment, there's the ding of a bell and an automated voice provides an announcement.

"This plane will be taking off shortly. Please be seated and fasten your seat belts."

"Welp, better take a seat! You sure wouldn't want to be standing when this thing's flying!"

"...By the way, Larry, I see you've received a minor cut on your forehead. What happened?"

"Oh, this? Um, yeah... see, the thing is..." Larry drifts off into a mumble.

And there's another ding, with the same voice with another announcement. "The plane will now be taking off. Thank you for your patience."

"Wait, what!?" they both exclaim.

And so the plane accelerates to high speeds within a matter of seconds and zooms off into the distant blue.

Fortunately for the two passengers on board, they just barely made it to their seats, although the pilot is now seated among the passengers instead.

"...This is all your fault, Larry."

"What? How is this my fault!? I didn't do anything!"

"Exactly. You weren't in your seat to make sure the plane didn't act on its own."

"Yeah, but it's not like I'd know how to stop it anyway..."

"You're the pilot! That's your job to know!"

"But it's an automatic plane! I figured I didn't need the manual and just let it do its own thing!"

Edgeworth sighs, planting a hand on his face. "Why? Why did they choose you of all people as a pilot of all things...?"


	3. Chapter 3

Ding. "We have now arrived at Easter Island. Please enjoy your stay."

"...Well done, Larry. Look where you've gotten us."

"Hey, man. That's totally unfair. It's not my fault the plane's whacked."

The hatch door swings open on its own, revealing the bright sunlight outside and vast grassy fields. Normally, it would be a welcoming sight to behold after an exhausting hour-and-half trip, but Edgeworth is not having any of this.

"Well then, perhaps you could finally make yourself useful and find that pilot's manual you so carelessly tossed aside?"

"What? Why?"

"You know the answer to that."

Larry groans and grumbles, unlatching himself from this seat, and slips into the pilot's cabin once again.

Edgeworth frees himself from his own to do a little investigation himself. This isn't simply a personal jet; it's a jetliner. Why would those people send him off in one of these? There's plenty of room aboard for several more passengers, but that's not so interesting. There also appears to be more compartment rooms in the back. They can't all just be more seating areas.

He quietly slips into the next room over, taking a few precautions in mind, and stops short upon finding what sort of room it was.

In fact, calling it a "room" wouldn't be quite right... more like a stable. For horses.

And there's a freakin' horse staring back at him. It's a beautiful white thoroughbred, but most curiously, the front tip of its brown mane is shaped in a V. It's also dressed in a red jacket with a blue tie for some odd reason that almost makes it seem cartoony.

How puzzling. Edgeworth feels like he's seen this horse before... No, wait, that's not it; more like he's seen someone who this horse looks like. The similarities are uncanny: red jacket, blue tie, and even V-shaped hair. It looks so cartoonish, it's laughable; only if the very situation he finds himself in wasn't so precarious.

In any case, he's gathered nothing to help him; nothing to explain why there is a horse on this plane. It's not even a snake. At least with the snake, it could be a practical joke those people set up. They would dare.

The horse snorts. It certainly doesn't look happy being here either.

The confusion isn't doing his head any favors, so Edgeworth decides to leave it at that and head back.

Never failing to disappoint him, Larry still has not found the pilot's manual.

"Dude, Edgey! This is horrible! Just horrible! The absolute worst!"

"Indeed."

"What do we do now!? What if we're stranded here for eternity!? What if there are evil bloodthirsty bunnies that attack us and eat us up like we're delicious!?"

"Larry, get a hold of yourself. We've only been here for 5 minutes."

"I-I'm not that delicious, am I!? Th-they won't go for someone as flimsy as this, right!?"

"Larry!"

That seemed to have snapped him out. "Huh?"

"Where was the last you saw of that manual?"

"Um..." He scratches his head, probing it for the answer. "I think it was back at the airport... Aaaah!"

"What? What's wrong?"

"Oh, no. Oh, no, no, no..." He's grasping his head in both hands and pacing around frantically. "Edgey, I remember now! When I tossed it, I tossed it outside the cockpit! We must've left it back at the airport somewhere!"

"You what!?"

"I'm so sorryyyyy!" he breaks into tears, "I-I didn't know things would end up like this! Waaaaah!"

Edgeworth smacks himself on the head, hoping the pain would snap him out of his quickly numbing state. It seems to work, but that headache isn't going away.

"Stop crying! There's a way out of this!"

"H-huh? Th-there is?"

"Easter Island isn't uninhabited; it's gathered a small population of citizens, largely thanks to the tourism it gets. We may be able to find a pilot in town somewhere and ask them to help us."

"...Oh, yeah." Larry snaps back to his usual self again. "Man, why didn't I think of that? It was so obvious."

Edgeworth finally takes a step off the plane and takes a look around. It's not just any grassy field they've landed in, there are the infamous stone heads nearby, within a walking distance of around 15 minutes away. That suggests the road leading to the closest city shouldn't be too far off either.

And now Larry hops off for a peek. As soon as he does, though, the plane's announcer provides them a very enlightening hint:

"On this island, your objective is simple: Locate and release a monkey spirit trapped under one of these great stone heads. Once he has been freed and comes aboard, we will be ready to take off for the next destination."

Edgeworth swings back around to stare at the plane. "...You have got to be kidding me."

Larry tilts his head. "What the? It was that easy? All we need to do is find some monkey?"

"No, it clearly spoke of a 'monkey spirit'."

"...You mean it's dead? An ex-monkey?"

"No, that is not what I meant. It might not be a monkey at all."

"It's not a monkey? Then what is it? Better not be some weird lemur-thing. I always confuse it with raccoons..."

"I would suspect it refers to a person. If this person is somewhere within the crowd by those stone heads, we should be able to solve this riddle."

"Wait, we're gonna look for someone? In that crowd? Come on, Edgey, be reasonable."

"You're one to talk. You have a better plan?"

"Uh... no. But how are we supposed to find this guy? Or girl? I really hope it's a cute girl. Then this trip wouldn't be a total waste..."

Edgeworth starts walking without him, prompting him to hurry after.

"H-hey, Edgey! Where're we going?"

"To investigate that crowd, of course. It looks like they're surrounding one head in particular. I wonder what the fuss is all about..."

* * *

><p>The crowd in question is buzzing with noise of multiple languages and the sounds of pictures being taken. At the center of the group is a woman, probably the tour guide, who's crouched down and speaking with someone else.<p>

"Excuse me, sir. Are you alright? How did you get here?"

"I... I don't know. And I can't feel my legs..."

"That's understandable. You look like you're being crushed underneath. Are you in pain?"

"N-no... not really."

"Not really? Even though you're being crushed here?"

"Yeah, it's odd... I feel more like I've been lying here asleep for a while..."

"...That's a strange place to sleep. I've never seen any animal crawl underneath one of these stone heads, needless to say, a person."

"Yeah, like I said, I don't know how I got here..."

As this unfortunate fellow is further questioned, Edgeworth and Larry slip through and into view. They gasp upon finding just who it is at the center of this commotion.

"Wright!?"

"Dude, Nick! What are you doing here!?"

"Edgeworth! Larry? And that's what I want to know! What are you guys doing here!?"

The tour guide passes looks between them. "You three know each other?"

"We're good friends, actually!" Larry answers, zipping to her side in an instant. "By the way, miss, I didn't catch your name..."

Edgeworth pays them no heed as he approaches the guy under a rock. "How on earth did you end up like this?"

"Ask those people who said they worked for Capcom. One moment, I'm in my office talking on the phone with them, and the next, I'm knocked out somehow. Then, I wake up to find myself here. I'm not sure how I'm still alive like this..."

Unbelievable... in every sense. Still, Wright wouldn't lie in this situation. He'd have no reason to. In any case, there's still one big problem.

"...Unfortunately, I can't figure out how to move you from out of there. At the very least, we'll need to hire an excavation team, but it's questionable if they could dig you out of there without disturbing the stone's position..."

"Actually, there's a better way... or so those people told me."

"Hm?"

"'When you hear someone in particular say the words, "Monkey King", you will be able to escape this prison.' Can you believe it? They acknowledge that it's a prison."

Edgeworth takes a moment to ponder over it. "...'Monkey King'? Just what does that have to do with anything?"

At that moment, Phoenix experiences a strange change. The weight of the stone suddenly feels a lot lighter, as if he could easily shrug it off now. Before he tries, though, it might be a bit dangerous if he moves now. There are too many people nearby.

"...Hey, Edgeworth."

"What?"

"Could you tell these people to move back? I'm gonna try shoving this rock off me."

"W-what are you talking about, Wright? This isn't the time for jokes."

"No, really! Just trust me on this!"

"...Have you gone mad? How are you going to move it? These heads each weigh more than 13 tons!"

"I know it sounds ridiculous, okay? I just... I feel like I can move it now."

Edgeworth has just about had it with this nonsense. "And why is that? Because I said some magical incantation? Stop fantasizing, Wright! You're only making yourself look insane!"

"Look, Edgeworth, I know you won't believe me, but can you please just tell everyone to step back? Even if I'm totally wrong, someone has to go call for help, right? No one's going to help by standing around here!"

He sighs, in a mix of exasperation and a bit of relief. So he hasn't completely snapped, but he still isn't making any sense. "Fine."

Edgeworth drags Larry apart from the woman and tells everyone to step back. There's a round of confused looks and questions from some, but the curiosity of the whole wins the day. Everyone steps a few feet back.

"That's not enough! Move farther!" Phoenix calls.

They inch back several more feet. When Phoenix beckons them more, they follow suit until they're back on the side of the road.

Finally. Phoenix takes a deep breath, and pushes himself off the ground. In any amazing feat unbeknownst to man since long ago (or something like that) he manages to lift the stone from its place, a couple feet off the ground. Within seconds, he rises to his feet, still tilting the giant stone back. When he finds it's pushed it up enough, he makes a lunge for freedom, landing into a roll. The stone falls back in place with a loud, echoing thump.

Never mind the shocked looks on everyone else at the feat; Phoenix himself can't believe what just happened. He feels so... powerful, like those moments in court when he's managed to make a huge turnabout in the tides. It's so refreshing.

And then, some kid in the crowd points at him and says, "Look! He's got a tail!"

He glances down behind him and that refreshing feeling vanishes without a trace. He really does have a tail covered in black fur, with an oddly spiky tail end, like a human-sized monkey. He's a freakin' monkey.

And then Phoenix does the one thing that he thought he'd never do: run away screaming like a yellow-bellied chicken. Or, in this case, screeching like an angry ape.

Edgeworth and Larry watch him run off, and then remember that they need to get the guy back on the plane. Edgeworth thanks everyone for their cooperation, and the two of them hurry after the poor sap.

* * *

><p>The three exhausted travelers finally make it back to the plane safely and collapse into the seats. It took those guys the next hour or two to find Phoenix and drag him out of hiding, and when they did, he was a sobbing mess. After an exchange of words about how it's not that bad and only TEMPORARY, they managed to convince him to join them on their journey.<p>

Now that all three have returned, the plane seals the exit behind them and "happily" announces that it will be taking off once more. And so it does, without further complaints from its passengers.


	4. Chapter 4

It's a beautiful day at the beaches of Northern Cayman Island. The sun is bright and warm, the surf is refreshingly cool, and the tourists are a-plenty. And among these tourists are three young men - one in red, another in blue, and a third in orange - who are the stars of the scene. However, all three have split apart, to each his own.

The first one has been investigating into a case of someone's missing child. How he was roped into the matter is beyond him, but as the gentleman he is, he agrees to help. Unfortunately for him, the little brat he was looking for managed to sneak up on him from behind and dump a bucket of icy cold water on his head. He chases after the kid, who's laughing hysterically, with that bucket in hand. Though his parents were thankful that he brought them their child, he refused any reward and hurried off to tend to something much more important.

The second one has gone snorkeling in an attempt to hide his newly acquired tail. He so happens to wander into the wrong territory, however, and has angered an octopus that's stout to defend it. They engage in a battle of limbs, and while he's outnumbered 8 to 5, he manages to escape the octopus' grasp by objecting at it, which sends a wave of air that blasts away the creature. Due to the overwhelming force, he accidentally snaps his snorkel off his face, but realizes he doesn't actually need it. Still, it's only fair to return the thing and pay for damages.

And the third one is busy relaxing on the beach with a group of lovely young women. Shortly after, a jock returns to find that his spot has been taken, and he kicks the intruder's butt out of there. The women simply laugh at the poor sap as he zips away, and before he's realized it, he's found himself in a surfer's hut. The shopkeeper was charitable enough to lend him some advice (and a rented surfboard) to beat his competition. He does indeed challenge the jock to a surfing battle and still ends up failing in a wipeout. As he watches the party leave without him, a native woman helps him up. Well, what do you know, she's impressed by his courage and even happens to be single.

Well, that's all fair and good, but there's one big problem with this scene: this particular stop isn't on their schedule. Their plane has run low on fuel, and they had little choice but to stop here. Once they did, Larry suggested they all change into summer wear. In fact, he was so eager to find some female company that he then ran off on his own. Phoenix was hesitant to leave, with his tail in the open and all, so Edgeworth became the one who had to look for help. After some time passed and neither one had returned, Phoenix finally resolved to step out. He first searched for a towel in one of the restroom stalls, wrapped it around his waist, and finally headed on out. And all that time, there was still one more soul aboard the now empty plane.

It's the horse dressed in a red jacket. He was all the more impatient to leave, but apparently his fellow passengers forgot about him entirely. Since he wasn't tied down or anything, he was free to roam. Curious for adventure and growing ever impatient, he takes a few steps back in his stable and charges forward, leaping over the gate and out into the compartment. He leans against the unlocked door leading to the other passengers' seats, pushing it open, and squeezes through. Then, all he has to do is trot out the open plane door.

Needless to say, the airport staff who have arrived to lend a hand with refueling and other little sorts of maintenance are shocked to find a white horse striding out into the light of day. It's a pretty warm day, though, so the jacket isn't the most welcome right now. He tries tugging it off with his teeth, but finds it especially difficult to work with. A few members of the staff see this and lend a hand. The horse whinnies happily and then bolts off on his own.

* * *

><p>When all three of them return, one by one, the looks on their faces tell each other that there are stories to share. And so they share. While Larry's being head-over-heels in love gets him ignored, Edgeworth's ill luck only gets him laughed at and Phoenix's recount of the unbelievable only gets him doubtful stares. Basically, nothing new with these guys.<p>

However, they notice that even with the three of them all aboard, the plane has yet to respond. It's not ready to take off yet, even if the fuel is maxed, and there's a warning sign on the control panel indicating that a passenger has not been accounted for. Even odder are the red jacket and blue tie that have been laid out on two adjacent seats by the door.

Phoenix strokes his chin. "We had another passenger?"

Larry shrugs. "If there was, I wouldn't have known."

However, Edgeworth immediately comes upon one possibility in mind. He steps over to the rather large clothes laid out and gives them a quick check. Indeed, the size is too large for a person, but for their missing passenger...

"...I believe I know who it is."

The other two snap to attention. "You do?"

"Wright, you can fly, can't you?"

"Uh..." He grins nervously. "W-why do you ask?"

"I need you to take a bird's-eye view of this island. See if you can pick out a white horse that doesn't seem to belong to anyone."

"A... white horse?"

"Yes. Is there a problem?"

"Well, um... it's a horse. Why are we looking for a horse?"

"Wait, I get it!" Larry grins. "That horse is actually the missing passenger!"

"Larry, get real. We're having a serious discussion."

"...Actually, he's right."

Both Phoenix and Larry stare at Edgeworth. Larry even adds, "Dude, I was joking..."

"But I'm not. Wright, get up there already. And hurry back when you find it."

Phoenix shakes his head. "This doesn't sound like you, Edgeworth... Hearing you say these ridiculous things without any strain behind them is, well... kinda creepy, to be honest. You feeling okay...?"

Edgeworth gives a harrumph. "Alright, then how about I remind you..." He fires off a glare at him. "...that we're stranded in the middle of an island, several hundred thousand of miles from our actual destination, and as asinine as it sounds, we need you to break the laws of physics once more to get us out of this situation!"

"..." He grins back. "Yeah, that sounds more like it. But see, there's just one small problem with this setup..."

"And what's that?"

That grin falters. "Well... I... I can't fly."

"What are you talking about? You demonstrated as much when you put us through a wild goose chase back on Easter Island!"

"Yeah, but that time, I was just... leaping around really high, is all..."

"Now you're just being technical. What is the problem, Wright?"

"W-well..." His eyes are shifting to and fro - a sign of his nervous habit. "...It's kinda complicated, see..."

"..." Edgeworth crosses his arms. "Don't tell me... you're afraid of heights."

"What!? N-no! Of course not! W-w-why would I be?"

"Wow, cat got his tongue real bad," Larry comments.

Edgeworth grumbles something under his breath. "...Wright, let's be practical about this. You now have the ability to fly. You can control where you want to go. Falling should not be an issue. And I doubt you would be injured by such a fall anyway, since you were just fine from being crushed by a 13-ton stone."

"...Now that you put it that way... it only makes the whole thing sound so stupid."

"You're the one who started it."

"Yeah, Nick. Take one for the team and get to work, already!""And return the towel. Where did you even get it?"

Phoenix sighs, tossing it aside. "From one of the restrooms in here." He hops out and leaps into the air so fast that any outside observers barely notice the air stir.

* * *

><p>Sailing through the air is one experience anyone who doesn't fear heights would enjoy. However, even those who do fear them may still be willing to go skydiving. The experience is simply too unique to be found anywhere else but the skies.<p>

And then, there are those who are forced to climb these heights when they're absolutely terrified. Phoenix Wright, despite his namesake, is one of these people. He may be in control of his flight this time, but one nervous breakdown is all it takes to send him earthbound.

Still, even in this surreal circumstance, there are people who are depending on him to do his part. This isn't the time to chicken out. He takes a deep breath, and peers down toward the ground below. It seems that initial leap he made was a little too high, even for him. Everyone looks like moving dots below. Fighting the panic that is slowly enveloping him, he hastily searches for the shape of a white horse. Sadly, he doesn't.

He gasps when he realizes he's sinking through the air, and in his panic, he stamps against the air so hard (against impossible odds yet again) that he lunges skyward once more, past the clouds. As expected, now that he's above the lowest layer of cloud, it's even harder to make out the shapes.

He closes his eyes, telling himself to relax, and lets himself fall for a bit. Just a bit. He breaks through the clouds again, but realizes he's sinking a lot slower than he had been. When he opens his eyes, he finds himself resting upon a miniature piece of cloud that is easily supporting his surprising lack of weight. Even better, now that he's at ease again, he notices that he's acquired zooming vision as well.

Wait, acquired? When did he acquire it? Did he always have it in him? What is he even thinking? None of this is making any sense!

Well, at least he's located the darn horse. It looks like it's splashing along one of the beaches. He gets up, taking a stand upon this odd little cloud. For all that fear he felt just a while ago, it's like it's vanished in an instant. He makes a lean forward, and he swerves into a downward spiral toward the beach in question.

* * *

><p>Down below, Larry and Edgeworth have been watching him all that time with the help of binoculars. From their point of view, it looks like a wild monkey has been hopping back and forth in the air and suddenly vanishes through the clouds. Then, just when they're having trouble figuring out what the heck is going on up there, that same monkey zips down from up there and circles round and round down to somewhere across the island.<p>

Edgeworth drops his binoculars. "...Why did I even ask him to do this?"

Larry follows suit. "Why're you asking me?"

"No, you're right. Forget it. Let's just wait for him inside."

* * *

><p>The target horse has gathered a lot of attention and a crowd of tourists are taking pictures. He pays them no mind as he takes a gander toward the sea, giving his hooves a quick rinse in the waves. He gallops around in the shallow waters, enjoying the fresh breeze blowing against his radiant body.<p>

Then, he grows bold. He tries for deeper waters, and even deeper waters, until his entire torso is submerged in water. Out at this distance, his feet are no longer touching the ground. And just at that moment, an abnormally large wave comes in. Neighing in distress, he tries to swim for the shore again. The wave seems to swallow him up and shoves him even closer to shore, but it's not close enough for his hooves to dig into the solid ground, and he's dragged out to sea once more.

As people watching from the beach gasp in horror and chatter amongst themselves, someone points up into the air, shouting, "Incoming!" And they scatter.

Phoenix swoops down like a missile, leaps off from his Nimbus, and plunges straight into the waves after the victimized horse.

As the crowd returns to their gathered spot, they return to chatting amongst themselves. One lucky photographer who just happens to have caught the perfect shot - of the flying man with a tail just before he hits the surface of the water - stares at his prize. He hurries out of the crowd and for the nearest editorial.


	5. Chapter 5

The white horse awakens, finding itself underwater, and is rather confused about why it's not drowning anymore. However, it's found itself amid bad company. Three large reef sharks have it surrounded and are circling in the waters above.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't a little land horse who's come by to play?"

"You should know better than to run around on our turf, horse!"

"We Sharkster Brothers rule these currents! No one escapes our jaws!"

They cackle amongst themselves as they each dive down to nip at the poor frightened horse, who hops around on the seabed trying to avoid their bites. It ends up tripping among some loose sand and falls over into a large pit. It hits its head on a rock and is knocked out. Seizing the moment for glory, one of the sharks lunges in for the kill.

"HOLD IT!"

Suddenly, a strong current sweeps through the area and knocks the sharks into a scatter. The instigator is none other than Phoenix Wright, the new master of the skies and seas... who is able to breathe and shout thanks to a bubble around his head. He swoops in, pulls the horse up and out of the pit, and swims back up. However, the trio of sharks have converged on them from above. They don't look very happy.

"What? Now even a monkey's swimmin' by? What an outrage!"

"Let's teach 'em a lesson for bargin' in on us like they own the place!"

"Grraaaah!"

"Hey, whoa! Wait a sec!" Phoenix calls with his arm outstretched. (His other is still carrying the horse.)

"Who's waitin'!?"

They charge him all at once without another thought. Phoenix has little choice but to toss aside the fainted horse and face these guys head-on. He draws back his arm, summons up a wave of energy from within, and lets it fly out in a burst. He complements it all with one word.

"OBJECTION!"

The burst of energy hits all three like a brick wall and pushes them back, back, back... all the way out of the water. They fly into the air, swaying frantically for their lives - to the confusion of some spectators ashore - and land back in. Once back in, they meet face to face with their opponent, who glares back at them, and they scatter in all directions, yelping as they flee.

Phoenix watches them go, feeling just a bit disappointed. If they had stayed, he would have told them one important fact: "Sharks don't talk!"

It's one thing that he has super-strength, can fly, and can see really far. It's like he has a number of similarities to Superman now, and adding "can automatically form bubbles around head to breathe underwater" is just another plus to account for.

It's another thing altogether that wild sea creatures can suddenly talk. It's not like he can understand animals either; the octopus from earlier wasn't exactly shouting at him in any language he could make out.

Then again, by this point, is there any point to questioning it? He shakes his head in disbelief, returning to the horse he left. When he picks it up again, though, all of a sudden, it feels lighter. It's not that he felt it was heavy in anyway before, but there's a very noticeable difference between its original weight and now.

Then, horse begins to glow before him. Stunned, amazed, and outright creeped out, Phoenix moves back a bit and keeps staring at it. Eventually, the horse is enveloped in so much light that it nearly blinds him and he instinctively turns away. When the light disappears again, he turns back to look.

There is no horse any longer. There is instead a person, and it's someone he recognizes very well.

"APOLLO!?"

He carries him over his shoulder and lunges for the surface of the water. This time, there's nothing stopping him from getting this poor kid out of here. All that forward momentum shoots him out from the water and into the sky above. As he does, carrying the unconscious body of a close friend, he's caught on camera.

That is, on many cameras that are broadcasting from a local television news network. It seems quite the crowd has shown up.

"Uh, excuse me! Everyone, move aside! Drowned victim here!"

The crowd splits into two as it makes way for the flying hero. He lays Apollo on the soft sand and lightly presses down on his chest.

Somehow that alone works. Apollo expels out enough water from his lungs and wakes up in a coughing fit. When he comes to, he looks up to find... none other than his boss beside him.

"Hey, you okay?"

"W-what? Mr. Wright? What happened? Where are we?"

"In the Caribbean, apparently."

His jaw drops. "...What?"

"Look, I'll explain later. Right now, we need to catch up with Edgeworth and Larry."

"Huh? Even the Chief Prosecutor is here? And who's Larry?"

"A friend of ours. Come on, let's go."

He helps him up to his feet. Still so very confused, Apollo asks one more question before they go: "So, uh... how did I end up in my trunks? The last I remember, I was still in my usual suit..."

"As I said, I'll explain later. It's a long story."

And with that, Phoenix picks him up and flings him over his shoulder, freaking out the latter.

"Whoa! What!? Mr. Wright, how... when did you...!?"

"Long story, Apollo! Just hang on!"

"Wait, what are you going to... dooooo!?"

Phoenix launches off into the sky once more, ignoring the cries of his newly acquired teammate, as well as the cries of the paparazzi below, who apparently can't stop watching monkeys do amazing things.

* * *

><p>The door finally shuts and the interior lights turn back on.<p>

"Wright! What took you so long to find and bring over a horse!? You can fly, for crying out loud!"

"And where's the horse, Nick?"

"Sorry, but I ran into a little trouble with the locals. As for the horse..."

Phoenix lets Apollo off, and the latter collapses into a seat. He's had enough strange things for one day, even if he still has no idea what's going on.

"Justice? What is he doing here?"

"Edgeworth, I know you probably won't believe me, but..."

Edgeworth crosses his arms, anticipating something ridiculous following that sentence. "What is it this time?"

"Apollo was that horse. It seems like he has no clue he was a horse all this time, and I even had to save him from drowning and shark attacks."

Yep, that definitely qualifies as a bunch of baloney, but by this point, it seems like nothing is impossible for Phoenix Wright.

Apollo stares at him, having overheard. "I was a horse!?"

Larry follows suit. "He was a horse!?"

Edgeworth nods. "Even when I first found him, he was dressed in a red jacket and blue tie. Rather characteristic of him, I'd say."

Larry is now bawling with laughter. "Duuude! He was a horse!"

Apollo has gone silent. This is too much to take in at once. Then again, the last thing he knew, he was in Mr. Wright's office when he received a call, and the next moment he comes to, he's in the Caribbean having been saved from drowning (and sharks, apparently). He always knew working for the legendary defense attorney would always have some level of strange going on, but this absolutely, undeniably takes the cake.

Edgeworth shrugs it off. There's always something stupid happening whenever Wright is involved, and it's one of those things that will never change, no matter what situation they end up in.

Phoenix grins sheepishly. In a way, this quick stop at an island didn't turn out to be a complete disaster. At least he now gets to laugh at his subordinate.

Larry is still laughing as he heads for the cockpit. Before he does, though, Edgeworth pulls him back.

"And where do you think you're going?"

"Back to my seat, of course! What else does it look like?"

"You are not going anywhere near that seat from now on. We've wasted enough time here. As loathe as I am to admit it, the most ideal choice to make is to let the plane move along its course."

And as if on cue, the plane's announcer has returned: "We hope you enjoyed your stay here at the Northern Cayman Island. Please take your seats. This plane will be launching shortly."

* * *

><p>AN: If it isn't obvious enough, this is technically supposed to be part of Chapter 4, but it was getting a bit too long, so I decided to cut it short. I also took a little while to come up with this part of the "episode", so that's why there was a delay. Sorry to keep you all waiting, but I hope you're enjoying the ride so far.


End file.
